Weather Forecast

rfjeditor@rivertowns.net

Primary tabs

Author Content

The disputed 235-acre Hans Hagen annexation to the city of River Falls was rejected last week by St. Croix Circuit Court Judge Eric Lundell. Lundell didn't rule on the merits of the annexation on the west side of Quarry Road near the Kinnickinnic River.

Kids on their bicycles this month better watch out. If they wear their helmets and follow safe-biking rules in the city, they may get pulled over by a police officer. Their consequence? Try a free ice cream cone. "This is an effort to reinforce safe and responsible bicycling behavior and a great way to partner with local businesses to further that effort," Police Chief Roger Leque said. The River Falls Police Department has teamed with Centennial Mortgage, 1050 N. Main St., on the bike-safety campaign.

A fire Sunday afternoon at Cudd's trailer court was quickly put out, but not before leaving one empty home in charred ruins and damaging another. As of Tuesday police are still looking into the cause. Sgt. Jeff Linehan said there are "suspicious circumstances" to the fire. Assistant Fire Chief Mike Moody said the blaze was reported just after 1 p.m. By the time firefighters arrived, an unoccupied, older trailer at 1450 S. Wasson Lane #110 was engulfed on the south end.

Some parents of Greenwood students who will be second graders are upset about what they consider large class sizes. Monday night the parents asked the school board to lower those sizes by hiring another second grade teacher. "I need that for my son," said Greenwood parent Joan Soward. Added another parent, Coni Gehler: "All we are asking is that you give these children a chance." Soward said Greenwood has great teachers but her son needs more attention to do well.

A patrolman's persistence and hunch paid off, and now a robbery case is almost solved. The robbery occurred between 1:30 and 2:15 a.m. Saturday, May 29, at the new Red Cedar Estates apartment complex in the 1400-1500 block of Cemetery Road across from Cudd's Court. According to Police Sgt. Jeff Linehan, the victim is a 21-year-old Prescott man. He was in car with two others when they arrived at the Red Cedar Estates to visit a female tenant. The Prescott man, who admitted to drinking heavily, stayed behind in his car in the parking lot.

This Monday morning, May 31, River Falls residents can turn out to salute those who served their country in the armed forces. Local American Legion-sponsored activities begin with a 9:30 a.m. parade. The procession, made up of a Legion Honor Guard, River Falls High School marching band and local Scout troops, starts at the American Legion Hall, 701 N. Main St. It goes south on Main Street, then turns east on Division Street until reaching Greenwood Cemetery. At 10 a.m.

A 20-year-old River Falls man was arrested Monday night after police searched his home and claimed to have found sizable amounts of marijuana, cocaine, and psilocybin mushrooms. After the search Clinton J. Cowles, 121 W. Cascade Ave. #303, a former UW-RF student from Eau Claire, was taken to Pierce County Jail in Ellsworth. Police Sgt.

Friday was a hard day at the office for Art Smith. It wasn't the work that was hard. It was the walking away. Friday was Smith's last day on a job he's called his own for more than 40 years. A community farewell party took place at midday. Smith knew he would feel both sadness and joy. "No, it wasn't what you'd call a normal day. It turned out to be more sad," he said. "I was pleased to have so many people show up. I really didn't expect that, but I got choked up more than once - really bad - talking about friends who have passed on who we expected would still be here.

An environmental group hopes to restore the pre-European settlement look to a stretch of park conservancy that overlooks the Rocky Branch tributary where it joins the Kinnickinnic River. Wayne Huhnke and fellow Prairie Enthusiasts have volunteered their time to clear away some nonnative trees like cedars and nonnative brush like buckthorn so that the parkland resembles its pristine oak savanna habitat. "It's an ongoing restoration to bring back the prairie environment, and it's similar to what we've been doing already at the Foster Cemetery," said Huhnke, who is also the owner of

For now the percentage of users is still small but that's expected to change in years ahead. At the River Falls Municipal Utilities, customers can buy "renewable energy blocks" and pay for them on monthly bills. One block equals 150 kilowatt hours, or roughly 20-25% of the electrical usage in a typical home each month. Each renewable energy block adds $3 to a monthly utility bill. The Renewable Energy Program was started in River Falls just over two years ago. Judging by participation in other communities, River Falls is doing very well.